A 16-year-old boy from Coventry is one of 15 people across the globe being investigated as part of an international £1million card fraud gang.

Police carried out simultaneous raids in England, Finland, Spain and Canada on Tuesday, with officers swooping on an address in Cheylesmore.

West Midlands Police’s Organised Crime Unit identified the teenager as potentially being involved in the cross-continental racket, which is believed to have stolen the details of more than 6,000 credit cards.

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The force say the 16-year-old was not arrested but will be interviewed as part of on-going investigations.

West Midlands Police also arrested an 18-year-old man in Great Barr, Birmingham, on suspicion of fraud and cyber crime offences, who has been bailed until January.

Detective Inspector Rob Harris, of West Midlands Police, said: “This is a wide-reaching investigation – one that was launched back in January this year – involving Europol, authorities on the continent, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Cyber crime

“We’ve played our part by executing warrants at addresses in the West Midlands, suspected of being linked to the card scam investigation, and cyber crime offences that has seen websites compromised and accounts taken over.

“Computer equipment and other digital devices have been seized from the properties and these will be forensically examined.”

The investigation aims to dismantle an organised crime group which is believed to have harvested details from more than 6,000 credit cards which have been used to attack around 170 e-merchants.

It’s believed the stolen card details have been used to carry out transactions topping £1million before being sold on to other crime networks.

In total 15 people were arrested as part of the cross-continental day of action.